Systems and methods for minimizing and preventing dendrite formation in electrochemical cells

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to electrochemical cells with dendrite prevention mechanisms. In some aspects, an electrochemical cell can include an anode disposed on an anode current collector, a cathode disposed on a cathode current collector, the cathode having a first thickness at a proximal end of the cathode and a second thickness at a distal end of the cathode, the second thickness greater than the first thickness, a first separator disposed on the anode, a second separator disposed on the cathode, an interlayer disposed between the first separator and the second separator, the interlayer including electroactive material and having a proximal end and a distal end, and a power source electrically connected to the proximal end of the cathode and the proximal end of the interlayer, the power source configured to maintain a voltage difference between the cathode and the interlayer below a threshold value.

1 - 98 . (canceled) 
     
     
         99 . A method of operating an electrochemical cell, the electrochemical cell including an anode, a cathode, a first separator disposed on the anode, a second separator disposed on the cathode, and an interlayer disposed between the first separator and the second separator, the method comprising:
 measuring a voltage between the anode and the interlayer;   detecting formation of a dendrite via at least one of filtering or modeling of the voltage.   
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 99 , wherein measuring the voltage between the anode and the interlayer is via a circuit electrically coupled to the anode and the interlayer. 
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 100 , wherein the circuit includes at least one of a transistor, a BJT, a MOSFET, or other switching device. 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 100 , further comprising:
 passing a current to the interlayer via a dendrite prevention pullup control module.   
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 100 , wherein the circuit includes a diode. 
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 103 , wherein the circuit includes a switch configured to bypass the diode. 
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 100 , further comprising:
 passing a current away from the interlayer via a pulldown control device.   
     
     
         106 . The method of  claim 99 , wherein detecting the formation of the dendrite is via a system controller. 
     
     
         107 . The method of  claim 106 , wherein detecting the formation and progression of the dendrite is via at least one of actively modulating, pulsing, or alternating a controlled potential of the interlayer. 
     
     
         108 . The method of  claim 99 , wherein the at least one of filtering or modeling includes:
 detecting the voltage and a change in current in the electrochemical cell; and   quantifying variations in the voltage and the current.   
     
     
         109 . The method of  claim 99 , wherein the voltage is a constant voltage or a variable voltage. 
     
     
         110 . A method of operating an electrochemical cell, the electrochemical cell including an anode, a cathode, a first separator disposed on the anode, a second separator disposed on the cathode, and an interlayer disposed between the first separator and the second separator, the method comprising:
 measuring a voltage between the anode and the interlayer;   detecting formation of a dendrite via hardware filtering of the voltage.   
     
     
         111 . The method of  claim 110 , wherein measuring the voltage between the anode and the interlayer is via a circuit electrically coupled to the anode and the interlayer. 
     
     
         112 . The method of  claim 111 , wherein the circuit includes at least one of a transistor, a BJT, a MOSFET, or other switching device. 
     
     
         113 . The method of  claim 111 , further comprising:
 passing a current to the interlayer via a dendrite prevention pullup control module.   
     
     
         114 . The method of  claim 111 , wherein the circuit includes a diode. 
     
     
         115 . The method of  claim 114 , wherein the circuit includes a switch configured to bypass the diode. 
     
     
         116 . The method of  claim 111 , further comprising:
 passing a current away from the interlayer via a pulldown control device.   
     
     
         117 . The method of  claim 110 , wherein the hardware filtering is via at least one of high pass, low pass, band pass, proportional, integration, differential, amplitude, or frequency conversion. 
     
     
         118 . The method of  claim 110 , wherein the hardware filtering is via a system controller. 
     
     
         119 . The method of  claim 110 , wherein the interlayer is a first interlayer and the voltage is a first voltage, the electrochemical cell further including a third separator and a second interlayer disposed between the second separator and the third separator, the method further including:
 measuring a second voltage between the anode and the second interlayer.   
     
     
         120 . The method of  claim 119 , further comprising:
 detecting formation of the dendrite via hardware filtering of the second voltage.   
     
     
         121 . The method of  claim 110 , further comprising:
 in response to the voltage being below a threshold voltage, activating a circuit between the anode and the cathode.   
     
     
         122 . A method of operating an electrochemical cell, the electrochemical cell including a first electrode, a second electrode, a first separator disposed on the first electrode, a second separator disposed on the second electrode, and an interlayer disposed between the first separator and the second separator, the method comprising:
 measuring a voltage between the first electrode and the interlayer;   detecting formation of a dendrite via digital filtering or a system model of the voltage.   
     
     
         123 . The method of  claim 122 , wherein measuring the voltage between the first electrode and the interlayer is via a circuit electrically coupled to the first electrode and the interlayer. 
     
     
         124 . The method of  claim 123 , wherein the circuit includes at least one of a transistor, a BJT, a MOSFET, or other switching device. 
     
     
         125 . The method of  claim 123 , further comprising:
 passing a current or a voltage to the interlayer via a dendrite prevention pullup control module.   
     
     
         126 . The method of  claim 122 , wherein the digital filtering is via a standard processor, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or a digital system processor (DSP) using compact, low speed, or high-speed filtering. 
     
     
         127 . The method of  claim 122 , wherein the digital filtering is via at least one of finite impulse response (FIR), infinite impulse response (IIR), S model, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), or advanced Fast Fourier Transform (AFFT). 
     
     
         128 . The method of  claim 122 , further comprising:
 in response to the voltage being below a threshold voltage, activating a circuit between the first electrode and the second electrode.